Concerning Detroit Baseball

Royals Take Rubber Match as Tigers Fall 5-2

Doug Fister battled sweltering heat—temperatures were supposed to reach a high of 100º today in Kansas City—and the Kansas City Royals lineup, but the Tigers were unable to solve Bruce chen for a large part of the game, and eventually lost 5-2. Fister was okay, hurt by one big mistake to Eric Hosmer in the fifth inning. Hosmer slugged a three-run homer that gave KC the lead, the victory, and series win. A red hot Hosmer has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games and raised his batting average from .294 to .302 in that stretch. The homer off Fister was Hosmer’s first since August 23rd.

The Tigers struggled to get anything going against Chen, who pitched 7 IP of two run ball in the victory. Chen struck out four and gave up five hits, and didn’t walk a single batter. The Tigers’ only runs came on a two-run homer from a gimpy José Iglesias, who had missed the previous two games due to bilateral shin splints. After Chen came out, the Tigers were unable to mount any sort of rally against the Royals’ relievers until the ninth, when Prince Fielder hit a two-out double off closer Greg Holland. Victor Martinez grounded out to end the game, however.

The Cleveland Indians lost today, which means the Tigers maintain their 5.5 game lead in the division, while whittling their magic number down to 15. The Royals face the Indians in Cleveland in a big series, starting tomorrow.

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